I had a teeny tiny fender bender in a parking lot but since it was with a township bus the police had to be called in. Was told I could obtain police report today. Well, I could go down to police records and purchase the report for a nominal fee (I think 50 cents a page was mentioned). Or, according to a card handed to me by the police officer, obtain the report online through LexisNexis.
I've just now spent an irritating 15 minutes trying to figure out what fees and obligation I will incur through availing myself of what the LexisNexis website describes as this "exciting new service".
On its current website LexisNexis conceals its fees and asks you to sign an End User License Agreement of 18 densely written paragraphs without telling you (a) what LexisNexis will charge for the report (b) whether this is a one time fee or whether one becomes obligated to pay a monthly tribute to LexisNexis.
If LexisNexis would upfront tell me I can pay a modest fee like $5 via PayPal for a one time service I would not be writing this. The private sector would have given me a small convenience in exchange for a small payment. But instead I am being called upon to read a lengthy contract protecting LexisNexis in every which way while not telling me how much the service will cost.
New proposed law: Require vendors of internet services to provide a clear statement of prices in an easily accessible place.
Another issue: has LexisNexis created for itself a nice little monopoly ? I suspect they have managed to exclude other information vendors by signing exclusive contracts with police departments. If yes this strikes me as a violation of the spirit (and maybe of the language) of anti-monopoly legislation.